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Consulate General of the Republic of the Philippines NEW YORK

P R E S S R E L E A S E

PR-CSC- 012 -2018 2 August 2018

Students at Paaralan sa Konsulado Builds their Community in New York

65 students completed the five-Saturday classes at the 20

th Paaralan sa Konsulado held at the

Philippine Center in New York City.

30 July 2018, New York – On the 28th of July, 2018, 65 students of the 20th Paaralan sa Konsulado (PSK) completed their summer learning course with a colorful program featuring folk dances, choral recitation, singing of Filipino songs and the awarding of certificates and prizes. The culminating activity was held at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center in New York. PSK students concluded the five fun Saturdays of learning and discovering their Philippine identity and community. The children, ranging in age from 6 to 16 years, generated a cultural show by rendering performances of what they had learned during the five sessions that ran every Saturday from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm. Group 3, the most senior class (ages 12-16) performed a choral recitation and danced the “Inalimango”. Group 2, the intermediate-age students, showed their Filipino conversation skills through a skit and danced the popular “Subli”. Group 1, the youngest students, performed a repertoire of Visayan songs and choral recitation. Groups 2 and 3 joined together to perform their composition in their live composing class entitled “Disco Dinner” which featured music and dancing centered on Filipino cuisine. The song was composed by the groups and directed by Mr. Chris Ignacio, a volunteer teacher and member of the Filipino-American group Broadway Barkada. The students’ parents also showcased their dance number and rendered songs during the program. Following the cultural show, Deputy Consul General Kerwin Tate and special guest Ambassador Cecilia Rebong together with representatives from the Association of Filipino Teachers in America (AFTA), co-organizers of PSK, handed out Ceritificates of Participation to

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the 65 students, as well as medals to the winners of the “Tuklas Talino” Essay Writing and Art Contests. Scholarship awards were given by the President of the Philippine Heritage Center to the students who had attended the Paaralan sa Konsulado for three consecutive years. Deputy Consul General Tate also handed out Certificates of Appreciation to the teachers, student volunteers, resource speakers and lecturers who taught about the Life and Works of Dr. Jose Rizal, Philippine Heritage Sites, Philippine Cuisine, Philippine Fabrics as well as the volunteers who taught Table Manners and Etiquette, Lyric Writing, Live Composing and Art. In his remarks, Deputy Consul General Kerwin Tate quoted the popular maxim of Dr. Jose Rizal, “He who does not look back to where he came from will never get to his destination” thanked the children and their parents for spending their summer with the Paaralan sa Konsulado and find time to discover the values and traditions of the Philippines. He also expressed gratitude to the teachers and volunteers for their spirit of sacrifice in sustaining the Paaralan sa Konsulado. For her part, Ms. Pacita Ros, AFTA Director and co-founder of Paaralan sa Konsulado told the story on how AFTA and the Philippine Consulate General New York, through then-Deputy Consul General Cecilia Rebong, collaborated to conceptualize the project originally called “Paaralang Pilipino sa Konsulado” in 1998 and launched in 1999, which eventually became the PSK. The Culminating Activity concluded with a community singing of “If We Hold On Together” and a dinner organized by parents of the PSK children. END

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Paaralan sa Konsulado students during the Culminating Activity, with colorful performances of dances,

songs and choral recitations. Group 1 students rendered a medley of Visayan songs (Top Right photo);

Group 2 students dance the popular “Subli” (Top Left photo); Group 3 students exhibit their talent in

choral recitation and “Inalimango” dance.

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Deputy Consul General Kerwin Orville Tate handed certificates of completion to the Paaralan sa

Konsulado students. Photo are Group 2 students composed of kids ages 8 to 11.

Winners of Tuklas Talino in Essay Writing and Arts received medals and certificates from Deputy Consul

General Kerwin Orville Tate and special guest Ambassador Cecilia Rebong.